


Of Gods And Men - Hiatus

by Nariva (orphan_account)



Category: Injustice: Gods Among Us
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Superheroes/Superpowers, Alternate Universe - No Supervillians, Bad Plot Pacing, Billy Batson Lives, Bruce Wayne is Not Batman, Crossover, Extreme oocness, F/M, Injustice Superman - Freeform, Insurgency Batman - Freeform, John Stewart Lives, Lore Breaking, Neither Does Batman, Not Canon Compliant, On Hiatus, Out of Character, The One Dimension Where Kid Bruce Got Actual Therapy, The Regime Doesn't Know How To Deal With Normal People, Timeline Shenanigans, Yellow Lantern John Stewart
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-08
Updated: 2019-03-08
Packaged: 2019-10-24 03:29:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 7,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17696795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Nariva
Summary: An error in the system brings over the wrong counterparts.





	1. Bruce - Just Another Day

     Bruce sat at his desk, sighing in relief as he undid his tie. After several weeks of intense meetings and long midnight calls, it was _done_ , the acquisition could move forward. Pulling his tie off, the man laid it across the side of the desk, sitting back in his seat as he closed his eyes.

     "Knock knock," a voice called from beyond the door to his office, and he smiled as he opened his eyes.

     "I'm sorry, Mr. Kent," he called out, "the press conference is over."

     "This'll be off the record, then," came the reply, and he could easily imagine Clark rolling his eyes.

     "Promise?" he needled, and it got him a snort.

     "I _promise_ , Mr. Wayne," the reporter replied.

     "Come on in, then," Bruce finally allowed, giving Clark another smile as the man entered. The reporter pushed his glasses up, shaking his head.

     "Do you want me to sign a nondisclosure agreement too, Mr. Wayne?" the man asked, and Bruce chuckled.

     "That's a great idea!" he replied as Clark took the seat in front of him. "I'll even credit you when I announce the policy change." Smirking at him, the other man sat back and crossed his legs.

     "And to think," he said, "I was going to tell you about Diana." At her name, the billionaire jerked upright in his seat, slamming his hands against the table.

     "She's _here_?" he asked, frantic. Clark just shrugged.

     "Maybe, maybe not," he answered.

     "Clark, please," Bruce begged him. "You _have_ to tell me."

     "I don't know about that," the man drawled, "I think I should just let her find you. I didn't like my costume at first," he continued, "maybe if you actually put yours on, you'd get used to it."

     "It's not _mine_!" the billionaire argued, shaking his head. "I told her- I don't want anything to do with that movie!"

     "Oh come on, Bruce, just try it once." The reporter sat up, smiling at his friend. "I think you'd look good in black."

     "I'd look like an overgrown bat!" Bruce said, throwing his hands up as he sat back.

     "Diana said your character was a tech whiz- he's getting all sorts of cool gadgets to throw around."

     "Did you actually _look_ at the pictures she had?" Bruce asked.

     "No," Clark answered, but Bruce caught the corner of his lip turn upward.

     "Yes, you did," he snapped. "They're all bat shaped, Clark! Every single one of them! And do you know what she said I'd be using the most? Batarangs! _Batarangs_ , Clark!"

     "I think they look pretty cool," the reported said, holding his hands up when Bruce frowned at the man. "Just try the costume on, all right? Maybe if you do, she'll realize that you can't pull it off and stop bothering you."

     "Oh no you don't," Bruce said, wagging a finger at his grinning friend. "I'd get in it _once_ and you'd manage to plaster it all over the Daily Planet! I told her," he continued, standing from his seat, "I'm not doing it!" Pushing his chair in, the dark haired man reached beneath his desk to pull his briefcase out, snagging his tie to shove it into the pocket of his suit.

     "It's gonna happen sooner or later, Bruce," Clark told him as the billionaire rounded the desk and headed for the door. "You can't hide from her forever." Bruce pointedly ignored him, slipping outside. If Clark was bringing it up, than Diana had to be here. Maybe she was waiting to ambush him in the reception room,  or hiding out near the entrance to catch him as he tried to slink ou- The man shook his head. He wasn't running from her! He was just... celebrating the acquisition a bit earlier than intended. At his house, instead of here. Yes. Deciding to take the stairs, Bruce took each two at a time, ducking out the back entrance when he reached the ground floor. He took a moment to glance around- no Diana. Satisfied that he'd evaded her for today, the man shifted his grip on his briefcase as he headed further down the alley. A few left turns, a few blocks of walking, then he'd take a cab the rest of the way. The man glanced down at his tie, frowning as the tip of it plopped against his suit with every step. Switching the suitcase to his left hand, he reached up and stuffed it back in. Better.

     "Good evening, Brucie," a voice called out from ahead, and Bruce froze. Was it Diana!? No, no, the voice had been male, he had to calm down. Shaking his head, Bruce watched as a tall, thin figure leisurely rounded the corner, squinting at the man. He struck quite the figure- with bright green hair, and an unsettlingly wide grin- wait. _Wait_. Where did Bruce know that face? He studied the sharp cheek bones, the angular chin, and cursed to himself when it finally clicked. John Doe- a recent escapee from Arkham. Bruce tightened his grip on his briefcase, clenching his teeth as he gave a stiff smile. He should've just risked being caught by Diana.

     "Mr. Doe," he replied, stopping. The pale man's face lit up at that, and he giggled, clapping his hands.

     "You've heard about me?" the man asked, and Bruce nodded. "That's fantastic!" The billionaire went stiff as Doe sidled up to him, throwing a lanky arm around his shoulders. "My mother always said that you should never talk to strangers," he continued. "But since I know your name, and you know mine, we're friends!"

     "That's great," Bruce forced out, stumbling when the escapee started forward.

     "Do you know what I think we should do to commemorate this great new..." Doe trailed off, frowning as he reached down to rub at Bruce's suit. Bruce followed the motion, blinking in surprise at the small blue flickers that ran down his chest. What the hell? The strange lights flared at John's touch, arching out to race up the man's arm. "What's-?" the man began to ask, and Bruce cried out, brining an arm up to shield his eyes as the light went painfully bright. The earth shuddered hard beneath their feet, and both men went down as the brilliant light flared out. Rolling to his side, Bruce pushed himself up, blinking away bright spots as he rubbed at his eyes. An earthquake? An aftershock? Reaching down on pure habit to retrieve his briefcase, the billionaire looked out at... at... Metropolis? A massive street stretched out before him, dark buildings towering overhead. A shock of red caught his eye, and the man looked up at the massive screen hanging above them. On it was a single image- a red dot, surrounded by a black circle with several curved, orange lines around it. He took a step back, unnerved by the strange logo, when he noticed a single statue stretching up to their right. Clutching his briefcase, the man turned to stare up at the metallic man positioned on top of the globe. He cocked his head as he squinted at the oddly familiar facial features- was that... was that _Clark_?


	2. Bruce - Welcome To Metropolis

     "What the hell?" Bruce muttered to himself, staring up at the statue of Clark. He looked lower, examining the prominent S on its chest. That symbol- it was familiar. Where had he-? Bruce reached down, fishing his phone out of his pocket. He flicked past the welcome screen, accessing the photos he'd saved from his messages. Scrolling past his newest pictures, he paused halfway down, enlarging the photo Clark had sent him several days ago. The man stood in the middle of the set, his hands on his hips as he grinned at the screen. Bruce held his phone up, putting the picture of Clark beside the statue. The belt, the symbol, the cape- every piece matched. What _was_ this? Lowering his phone, the man crossed to the sidewalk on his right, feeling better at being out of the street. Bruce reached up, gingerly touching the back of his head. He winced as it throbbed at his touch, frowning down at his hand as he flicked to his contacts. He clicked Clark's name, bringing the phone to his ear as he waited for his friend to pick up. As his phone rang, the dark haired man glanced around at his surroundings, baffled by how empty the place was. Metropolis had always been a hub of activity- where was everyone?

     "The phone number you are attempting to call has been disconnected," an automated voice informed him, "please try again later." Disconnected? He tapped the End Call button, shaking his head as he selected Clark's name again. The reporter practically lived on his phone, there was no way he'd disconnect it! "The phone number you are attempting to call has been-" The man ended the call, frowning down at his phone as he scrolled through his contacts. He paused on Diana's number, then scrolled onward. She'd said they were shooting a scene today, something about a big rock monster? He thought for a moment, then went back to her name. Maybe if she saw it was him she'd pick up, the woman had taken every chance she'd gotten to try to talk him into accepting the role. If she thought he was calling to say yes... Bruce tapped her name, looking back up at the statue as he waited. It didn't make any sense- Clark was a fantastic reporter, but to get a statue made in his honor? No, this was weird. "The phone number you are attempting to call-" He angrily ended the call, shaking his phone in frustration. What was wrong with the thing? He toggled it on and off, glancing behind himself to see if Doe was still there. No one, he was alone. Not sure if that was a good or a bad thing, Bruce scrolled through his contacts again. The sudden shriek of sirens made him nearly drop his phone, and the man turned back to the street, watching as several vehicles rounded the corner. The police? He sighed in relief, pocketing his phone as he walked towards the slowing cars.

     "Hey," he called out in greeting, raising a hand to wave as they came to a semi-circled stop. "I'm sorry," he apologized, "I didn't see where..." The man paused, frowning at the strange uniforms of the officers exiting their cars. It looked more like military gear, a mix of dark reds and black. Were they some kind of SWAT team? He cleared his throat, shaking away the uncertainty. "Where Mr. Doe went, but he couldn't have gotten far." The officer nearest to him reached for his gun, and Bruce froze as the man pulled it out and pointed it at him.

     "Hands up!" the officer yelled, and the billionaire took an uncertain step back as he looked behind himself. Had Doe come back? No one else was behind him. Bruce frowned, looking back at the growing number of police officers. Had they... been talking to him? But why? "You, civilian!" The foremost officer called out again, "I said hands up!" Bruce slowly complied, baffled at the command as more guns were pointed his way. What the hell?

     "You, uh," he paused, swallowed. "You've got the wrong guy- I'm not Doe!"

     "Who the fuck is Doe?" the officer asked, keeping his gun leveled at Bruce as he started forward. The billionaire stared. They, they didn't know?

     "Doe's an escapee from Arkham," he replied, frowning as the officers looked at one another in apparent confusion. "You know," he prodded, "the guy from the news."

     "What're you talking about?" the masked officer demanded, reaching out to wearily pat at his pockets. He tugged the man's tie out, tossing it aside before he searched his slacks. Bruce stayed still as the man pulled his phone out, the officer waving to the policemen behind him. "He's all clear!" Finally the man lowered his gun, slipping it into the strap on his belt as he stepped back. "I'm going to need to see some I.D., citizen, and you had better have a damn good reason for being out on M.D." I.D.? M.D.? Bruce slowly lowered his hands, shaking his head in confusion.

     "I.D? Come on," he forced a smile, trying to lighten the tense mood. "At least one of you has got to recognize me." It didn't get him a single chuckle. "Bruce Wayne? Billionaire? From Gotham?"

     "You don't want to say those kinds of things, civilian," the officer warned him, hand lowering to rest on his gun. "I.D. Now."

     "Wait!" Bruce startled at the interruption, both of them looking to the woman who'd spoken. She shouldered past her fellow policemen, wearily approaching the two. "I... your face..." Bruce cocked an eyebrow at her voice, then smiled when he finally remembered.

     " _Montoya_?" He shook his head, baffled, as she unhooked her helmet and pulled it off. "What're you doing here in Metropolis?" he asked, "and what's with the getup?" The woman didn't reply, leaning in to look him in the eye. "Did Gordon transfer you?"

     "It's- it's  _him_!" she breathed, rearing back from the man. "It's Batman!"

     "Batma-?" Bruce felt something sharp prick his neck, and he winced, reaching up to pull the dart out. He stared down at the little empty vial, blinking in confusion at it. "What-?" he tried to ask, then teetered as the world blurred and twisty. "What... was..." The man felt hands on his shoulders, his arms, and they steadied him as his legs gave out. He felt strangely sleepy as the hands pulled him up, barely hearing the words around him.

     "Contact Command, we have-"

     "Batman is-"

     "-need-"

He slept.


	3. Superman - Batman v Superman

     "It's not him," Superman finally said, earning a startled look from Diana.

     "What?" she demanded, disbelieving.

     "His DNA matches Bruce Wayne's, but his vitals are all wrong," the man explained. He looked at the other Batman's small collection of things, brushing aside the tie to pick the phone up. It looked like it needed a thumbprint to open it- he scoffed at that. Of course this Batman was just as cautious as theirs. He tossed the phone back onto the table- there was no use in trying it. "Who do they have interviewing him?" he asked Wonder Woman.

     "A woman named Montoya," the woman replied. "She volunteered to do it."

     "Montoya," he repeated the name, wondering at the slight recognition he felt at it. "Wait, wasn't she a member of the GCPD? We're sure her past with him won't influence her?" he questioned, and Wonder Woman nodded.

     "She's been a loyal supporter of the Regime since the day Metropolis fell," the dark haired woman confirmed. "She even helped break up Gordon's GCPD Insurgency ring." She paused, glancing up at the monitor. "She's right on time." Superman folded his arms, watching through the darkened glass as the officer opened the door to the interrogation room. Batman shifted as the woman entered, his face brightening with recognition.

     "Montoya?" he sat forward, pointedly looking from her to his cuffs as she assumed her seat. "What am I doing here?" he asked her, sounding genuinely confused.

     "You know why you're here," she answered, crossing her legs as she sat forward.

     "No," he said, shaking his head. "I really don't." Montoya sighed, running a hand through her hair.

     "Please, Batman," she quietly pleaded with him, "don't make this any harder than it has to be."

     "Why do you people keep calling me Batman?" the duplicate demanded. "I'm _Bruce Wayne_ , not that character in Diana's movie!" Superman exchanged a glance with Wonder Woman, drifting closer to the glass as he listened.

     "Ba-" Montoya paused, relaxing her demeanor as she rested her elbows on the table. "Bruce," she conceded, "what are you talking about?"

     "You have to have seen the trailers," Bruce replied. Montoya didn't respond. "Batman v Superman? You know- 'Do you bleed?'" He paused after the quote, clearly expecting some sign of recognition. The dark haired woman shook her head.

     "I've never heard of it," she replied. She shifted back in her seat, glancing in Superman and Wonder Woman's direction. "But," she slowly began, as if testing the waters, "it sounds interesting- will you tell me more about it?" Bruce looked at the divider, sighing as he sat forward.

     "Sure," he said, giving the woman a small, weary shrug. "So, a few years back, a baby alien crash lands in Kansas," he began. "He's found by a farmer couple, and they raise him as their own. The thing is, the kid's got superpowers."

     "Superpowers?" Montoya asked, and Bruce nodded.

     "He's super strong, he can fly, can even shoot lasers from his eyes," the man replied. "So, he grows up and uses his powers to fight evil. However, his latest fight caused a lot of damage to the city this Batman character lives in. Batman doesn't like that, so he decides that he has take the alien down. And, well," he looked up, giving her another shrug, "that's the movie, as far as I know. Diana wouldn't tell me anything else, she said I'd have to take the Batman role before she'd tell me anything more."

     "Role?" Montoya noted, unable to fully hide her confusion.

     "Yeah," he said. "The director really wants Christian Bale to be him, but Diana's been pushing hard for him to consider me."

     "You don't sound that enthusiastic," the officer noted, cocking her head at his tone.

     "I'm not," he agreed. "Batman feels..." he trailed off, glancing to the right as he considered how to describe it. "He feels angry; bitter. I don't want to play that kind of character."

     "I see,"  Montoya murmured, glancing back at where the two superheroes stood as Bruce stared down at the table. Superman reached down, clicking into Montoya's earpiece.

     "Officer Montoya," he spoke, and the woman's hand flew to her ear. "That's enough for now." She wordlessly nodded, standing from her seat.

     "Thank you, Bruce," she quietly at the man. "We're done for right now, the other officers will take you back to your room." She passed by Bruce, opening the door to leave.

     "Wait!" the man called to her, a hint of desperation in his voice as he turned in his seat to look at her. "I haven't done anything wrong," he insisted. "Please, Montoya," he pleaded with her, "why am I here?" The officer looked away from him, to where Superman and Wonder Woman stood. She turned, shaking her head as she silently left. "Montoya?" Bruce called after her, tugging at his cuffs. "Montoya! I shouldn't be here! I haven't done anything wrong!" Superman turned, drifting from the room to wait in the hallway for the woman. She rounded the corner a few moments later, and he landed, clasping his hands behind his back.

     "Your thoughts, officer?" he asked. She shook her head, clearly troubled.

     "Batman is a great actor, Supreme Commander," she said. "One of the best. But that?" The woman looked back at the interrogation room. "I... I really think he believed it, sir."

     "He did," Superman confirmed, and she rubbed a hand over her face as she shook her head.

     "What did that to him?"

     "That's what we're going to try to find out," he reassured her. "You did well in there, officer. Dismissed." Montoya snapped a salute out, and Superman gave her a nod. As the woman left, he made his way back to where Wonder Woman waited for him, closing the door behind himself as he re-entered the room. "A character," he quietly told her, shaking his head in disbelief. "He _really_ thinks Batman is just a movie character."

     "That doesn't make any sense," Wonder Woman replied, crossing her arms as she glared in at the shackled man. "What game is he playing?"

     "We'll find out," he assured her. "And when we do, he'll finally answer for his crimes against the Regime."

     "Superman?" The man reached up, adjusting his earpiece at the sound of Cyborg's voice.

     "This is Superman," he confirmed.

     "You know that energy signature we picked up when the other Batman came through?" Cyborg asked him.

     "What is it?"

     "Well, we just got a few more downtown." More possible duplicates? More Bruce Waynes and Batmans, meant to send the Regime on a wild goose chase? Still, he mulled it over, they couldn't afford to ignore the problem. Batman had brought the man here for a reason, had maybe even pulled in others- why? It was a question he needed to have answered.

     "Wonder Woman," he looked to her, "would you look into it?"

     "Of course," she replied, nodding. He watched her leave, turning back to study the duplicate as the officers led him out of the interrogation room.


	4. Diana - Red And Yellow, Black And White

     Diana groaned, rolling to her knees as she reached up and pushed her broken crown off. The woman gingerly touched her forehead, grimacing when her fingers came away bloody.

     "Diana!?" Hal called out, his voice distant. "Diana!" The woman pushed herself up, looking around the rooftop she stood on. Where... where was she?

     "Hal?" she returned his call.

     "Diana!" The woman followed the sound of his voice, reaching the end of the rooftop to peer down at the distant ground below. The man shaded his eyes against the sun as he looked up at her, giving her a wave. Diana went to her hands and knees, leaning over the edge to wave back. "What're you doing up there?" he called up to her, then looked around at their strange surroundings. "What is this place?"

     "I- I don't know!" the woman yelled down, giving an exaggerated shrug so he could see it.

     "Well, can you see a way down from there?" he asked. "A stairway, or something?" Diana sat back, looking around the rooftop. She couldn't see any way down- that was a problem.

     "No," she called down to him, shaking her head. "I don't see anything!" The woman chewed her lip, eyeing the distant ground. Could she risk jumping down? "Hal, do you think I could- Hal?" The man was looking up past her, rigid with fear.

     "Diana," he hissed, suddenly desperate, "Diana, you have to get down from there!"

     "What?" she asked him, shifting to look behind herself. "What are you-" The sentence died on her lips, and she stared up at the creature hovering high above her. Its skin was a hellish red, odd looking against its bright yellow clothing, and she felt her insides curl when it smiled.

     "Jump!" Hal screamed, and Diana turned from the monster, gritting her teeth as she pushed off from the roof. This was going to hurt, this was going to _hurt_! Falling towards the distant ground, the woman curled in on herself, bracing for the pain. She never reached it. A gleaming yellow square materialized beneath her, and Diana slammed into it, the air knocked from her as she rolled to a stop. Bars extended upwards, a ceiling appearing above as she coughed, clutching her throbbing side. "Diana!" The woman was distantly aware of Hal yelling her name, and she pushed herself to her knees, crawling towards the bars. The cell drifted higher, shuddering as it rose past the roof she'd been on.

     "You're not Wonder Woman," a smooth voice muttered, sounding intrigued, and she looked up to the see the creature peering in at her. It could _speak_!? "She would never be so _afraid_."

     "Let her go!" Hal yelled up at it, and the creature turned away from her, its dark eyes fixing on the man.

     "Interesting," it mused to itself, descending towards him. "You look so much like him," it said, and Hal paled, backing away from it as it neared him. It lifted a hand, and she only then noticed the ring it wore, shining with yellow light. Movement caught her eye, and Diana leaned forward, looking through the bars in time to see several small balls land between the two of them. Smoke bellowed out when the devices hit the ground, and the creature drifted back, eyeing the buildings and alleyways around them. As the white smoke rose with the wind, Hal waving uselessly at it, she saw it. Another man shaped creature, this one dressed in black, stepping out from the shadows. The woman gasped, her eyes going wide as the dark thing moved towards the oblivious Hal.

     "Hal!" she screamed at him, and he looked up at her. "Behind you!" He turned, crying out in terror at the sight of the black creature. The man threw his hands up as if to ward it off, stumbling back through the massed smoke. At his movement, the creature lifted an arm above its head, a horrific, high pitched wail coming from its hand. Diana clapped her hands to her ears, jerking back to fall against floor. She screamed as the wail increased in pitch, only distantly aware of Hal and the red creature's cries. The _sound,_ it  _hurt_! Like someone jamming screwdrivers into her ears! The floor she writhed on wavered, flickering, then disappeared. The wail abruptly cut off as she plummeted downward, the woman screaming again as the ground rushed up towards her. _Oh God_! Diana shut her eyes, covering her face with her arms. Something rammed into her as she fell, and the woman felt an arm hook under her legs, another one encircling her shoulders. The woman's downward fall abruptly leveled out, and she opened her eyes, twisting to look at her savior. Her own face stared back at her.


	5. Bruce - Hall Of Justice

     When were they going to let him call Alfred? Scratch that, Bruce thought, when were they going to tell him why he was here? John Doe was still out there, running loose, and here he was. Sitting in the interrogation room, _again_. He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he sat back. This didn't make any sense- why were they treating him like _he_ was the mad man? He jiggled his foot, glaring at the tinted glass in front of him. When he got out of here, Metropolis would be hearing about their police department's strange behavior. The handle to the door to the room jiggled, and Bruce turned in his seat to glare at Mont- Diana!? The woman stumbled into his room, her eyes locking on him.

     "Bruce?" she asked, uncertain, and the man leapt up from his chair. The two met in the middle, a tangled embrace of limbs and confusion.

     "Diana?" he pulled back, "what are you doing here?" He paused, frowning at the look in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

     "Bruce, I-" The woman let him go, stepping back as she reached up to clutch at her hair. "I, I think I'm going crazy," she quietly confessed. "I was on set, acting out a scene, and then there was this," she paused, shook her head, "this bright light, and I was on a rooftop! And Hal was there, and this," the woman paled, trembling. "This monster, like a demon! It came for us, but another one took Hal!"

     "What?" he asked, reaching out to grasp her shoulders. "What took Hal?"

     "I don't know!" Diana cried out. "It was this tall, dark thing, and I couldn't do anything!"

     "He wasn't a demon, and neither was the man that took your friend," a woman corrected her, and Bruce looked past Diana at... The man blinked, looking between the two women.

     "Diana?" he quietly asked, and the shaking woman met his gaze.

     "You see her too?" Diana whispered, and he nodded. She slowly turned, looking at the woman who stood in the doorway. They were spitting images of each other, their matching clothing making it all the more disconcerting. Bruce swallowed.

     "Stunt double?" he tried, but Diana shook her head. The lookalike stepped out of the room, gesturing down the hallway.

     "Come," she commanded. "Superman wants to speak with you." The two looked at each other.

     "Superman?" he asked.

     "Come," she repeated, her voice a touch sharper.

 

      The Hall of Justice. The name didn't make Bruce feel any safer, and he stuck close to Diana's side as they followed her lookalike inside. Were they trading one cell for another? Shaking away the thought, Bruce couldn't help but feel somewhat awed at the vast interiors, staring at the various tech they passed by. Lucius would give his left arm to be here, the man thought. He clenched and unclenched his hands, looking down at the floor as they entered an arched hallway. Lucius. He just wanted to go back home.

     "Here," Diana's double said, and he looked back up as she entered a small side room. Feeling increasingly nervous, Bruce followed after her, Diana on his heels. The room was dimly lit, a wall of monitors the brightest source of light. A small table sat to their far left, and Bruce felt his heart lift when he saw who stood facing it. He'd recognize that back and hair anywhere!

     "Clark!" he called out, and the man turned to face them. He stood tall, an imposing figure in the dark room.

     "No," Clark replied, shaking his head. "I'm not your Clark." Bruce glanced at Diana, and she gave him a small shrug in return, equally confused. "Let me show you," the man said, lifting off to hover above them.

     "Wires," Diana told them. "Just like on set."

     "No," the floating man replied. "Real power- like this." He drifted higher. "You'll want to step back." Cocking an eyebrow at Diana and... the lookalike, Bruce did as told as the women also retreated. Clark stared down at the ground, and Bruce blinked, squinting up at the man as his eyes gleamed a bright red. What-? Twin beams of heat shot from the man's eyes, near instantly melting a bubbling pool into the cement floor below. Shocked at the heat, at what he was seeing, Bruce stumbled back, hearing Diana gasp. Just as quickly as it had happened, the scorching light disappeared, the man floating back down to stand before them. Bruce stared at him, his eyes wide. _What had he just seen_? "I am Kal-El, of Krypton, though the people of Earth know me as Superman," the man introduced himself, and Bruce nodded, feeling oddly numb. Impossible. What'd he'd seen... impossible! "Diana," he paused, looking between the two women, "Wonder Woman," he corrected himself, "thinks you're from an alternate dimension. Do you know how you got here?"

     "Alternate-?" Bruce shook his head, running a hand through his hair as he stared at the man. Diana didn't appear to be faring any better, her shivers having picked back up to full on trembling. Kal-El looked between them, sighing.

     "Luthor," he called out, turning to face the door. "You were right." The door creaked open, a tall, thin man letting himself inside.

     "I always am, Kal," the man said, "and yet you always doubt me." Stepping past the muscular man, Luthor gave the two of them gentle smiles. "Please, sit," he told them, gesturing towards the chairs seated around the long table. Feeling like his legs were made of taffy, Bruce did as told, Diana sinking into the chair next to him. The man knelt before them, speaking softly. "I know that this is a lot to take in right now, but you're not on your Earth anymore- Batman was able to pull you over to our world."  

     "How?" Bruce asked, and the bald man shook his head.

     "We don't know yet," he answered.

     "We picked up matching energy signatures at your locations," Diana's lookalike said, stepping forward, "but we haven't been able to track them back to the source yet." Bruce looked away, feeling increasingly uncertain.

     "Assuming I believe you," he started, "and this isn't some kind of, I don't know, hallucination, or nightmare, when you find this 'Batman's' device, do you think you'll be able to send us back?" he asked, and Diana looked at him, her eyes going wide.

      "We'll get you home, I promise," Superman told them. "For now, though, you'll stay here at the Hall of Justice. We'll move you up to the Watchtower tomorrow."

     "What's the Watchtower?" Bruce asked.

     "A safe place," the man replied, though Bruce was certain there was more to it. "He'll find some way in," Kal-El muttered, "he always does. This time," he continued, looking back at Wonder Woman, "we'll be ready."


	6. Superman - Key

     Kal stepped back, reaching up to touch his earpiece.

     "Billy?" he asked.

     "Yeah, Superman?" came the boy's reply.

     "I'm sending the duplicates up to the guest rooms, would you take them for me?"

     "You mean they're not bad guys?" the boy asked, and Kal could hear his excitement.

     "For now," he replied, turning from the others to walk to the wall of monitors. He stared up at the flickering screens, tapping his earpiece again. "Billy," he said, a touch quieter, "we don't think they know about magic- I'd appreciate it if we kept their exposure to it at a minimum."

     "What?" Billy's voice was thick with disbelief. "How come they don't know?"

      "We're learning that their dimension is... _very_ different from ours," Kal said. "Maybe you could ask them about it on the way up," he suggested.

     "Sure!" came the cheerful reply. "Are you guys in the main meeting room?"

     "Yes," the Kryptonian replied, nodding.

     "I'll be there in a flash!" Satisfied, Kal made his way back to the group, smiling down at the duplicates.

     "Captain Marvel will take you to our guest quarters," he told them, "he'll be here-" The entrance door slide open, a wind swept Billy, in his adult form, stepping inside. "...soon. Captain," he greeted him, gesturing to the seated man and woman, "this is Bruce and Diana."

     "Wow," Billy murmured, staring at the woman. "You really _do_ look like her!"

     "Um," Diana shifted in her seat, glancing with discomfort at Wonder Woman. "Thank you?" Kal gently cleared his throat, and the Captain blinked.

     "Oh, yeah, your rooms! They're this way," he jerked a thumb over his shoulders, the duplicates standing from their seats. Clearly still ill at ease, the two hesitantly followed after the man as he led them from the room.

     "If you don't mind, Kal," Lex spoke, and Superman twisted to look at him. "I'll head home for the evening."

     "Of course," the Kryptonian replied, nodding to his friend as the man made his way out of the room. After a moment of silence, Kal sighed, running a hand over his face. "It doesn't make any sense," he muttered to Wonder Woman. "Why? Why would Batman bring _them_ here?" He heard the woman shift, striding across the room to approach him. "If they'd had our powers, I'd have understood," he continued, listening as the woman paused behind him. "But they don't."

     "It doesn't matter," she assured him, reaching out to touch his shoulder. "When he comes for the duplicates, we'll _finally_ have him." Her hand traced down his arm as she circled to stand before him. "And when we do," she continued, drawing closer, "the Regime will rule without question." Smiling at him, Wonder Woman leaned in, reaching up to cup the back of his neck. "Earth will finally have true peace," she told him, her voice filled with unwavering conviction. Kal decided to oblige her this time, leaning down to press his lips to hers.


	7. Bruce - I Don't Know

     "-this'll be your room," the Captain told him, opening the door, and Bruce peered inside. It was a spacious room, with a large bed and dresser. The taller man looked to Diana. "And your room-"

     "No." The woman said, shaking her head. "I'm not leaving Bruce."

     "Uh," the Captain looked to him, and Bruce nodded.

     "It's fine," he told them both, and she breathed a sigh of relief. The Captain stepped aside to let her pass, and Diana entered Bruce's room, moving to sit on the edge of his bed. "Thank you," he said to the other man, who looked between the two of them.

     "I-" he paused, briefly looking down before he met their gazes. "I know this must be really scary for you guys, but I promise," he said, sounding sincere, "Superman's going to get you home." Trust the strange Clark, with impossible powers? He... he wasn't sure he could do that. Bruce looked away, not answering. The Captain sighed. "Have a good night," he quietly said, giving them a small wave as he left, shutting the door behind him. Bruce stood in silence, turning to look around at the massive room.

     "Bruce?" Diana asked, and he looked at her. "What is this?" He sighed, shaking his head.

     "I don't know," he said. The woman hugged her knees to her chest, taking a ragged breath as he sat down beside her on the bed. "I keep thinking that my alarm's going to go off, and I'll wake up from this dream..." he paused; considered it, "nightmare? Whatever this is, and be back at Wayne Tower." For a moment, neither of them spoke.

     "That'd be nice," the woman quietly replied, giving him a wavering smile. She couldn't hold it for long, though, looking away before he could see her face fall. "I just wanna go _home_ , Bruce," she told him.

     "Me too," he whispered.


	8. Diana - The Dark

     The sound of her alarm startled Diana awake, and the woman turned over in her bed, reaching out to slap at her alarm clock. Her hand hit nothing, and she frowned, shifting closer to the edge of the bed. Still nothing. She pushed herself up, the sheets slipping down her back and catching on her-? Her skirt? Diana pushed the blanket further down, touching her skirt, her bustier. Had she gone to sleep in her outfit?

     "Diana?" The woman spun at the voice, blinking at-?

     "Bruce? What're you doing here?" she asked, and he turned onto his side and frowned up at her. "This is my..." she trailed off, staring at the unfamiliar room. Where was she? It all came flooding back, and the woman gasped, hunching in on herself as the door to their room slammed open. She shielded her eyes as the light flicked on, peering through her fingers as Captain Marvel anxiously looked around the room.

     "Guys, we gotta go," he yelled over the alarm, holding the door open as he gestured down it.

     "What's happening?" Bruce asked as he shoved the sheets down and pushed himself out of the bed. Diana uncurled from her spot, covering her ears as she stood.

     "It's Batman." He told them, waving them forward. "He's come for you." The woman shivered at his words, her hands dropping down to clasp her elbows as she started to make her way around the bed. "We're sending you both up to the Watch Tower, Superman thinks you'll be safest there."

     "Who's Batman? What does he want with us?" Bruce demanded, and the Captain stepped into the hallway to let the man pass.

     "He's... well..." Glass shattered behind her, and Diana stumbled forward as something slammed into her back. Feeling like someone had punched her right in the spine, she twisted back to look at whatever had hit her. A slack, black cord extended back out through the broken window, and she stared at it in blank confusion.

     "Bruce?" He turned at her voice, his eyes going wide as he looked back in at her.

     "Diana!" The cord snapped tight, ripping her through the window. The woman screamed as glass tore through the fabric of her costume, wind whipping through her hair as she flew through the air. She slammed into something hard, gasping for air as arms wrapped around her. She twisted in the muscular grasp, her hands coming up to grip at broad shoulders.

     "Diana!" A deep voice spoke, she managed to turn in the man's grasp, looking up to see- _the demon_. It loomed over her, tall and imposing. She sucked a breath in, screaming at the sight of the dark creature. They'd lied! They'd lied to her! It _was_ a demon! Diana thrashed in the creature's grasp, its arms tightening around her as she looked back to the Hall of Justice.

     "Bruce!" She screamed, reaching for the distant, broken window. "Help me!" The woman rammed her elbow into the creature's side, kicking back at it as she strained forward. Its grip on her never loosened, a hand coming up to cover her mouth.

     "Diana," it hissed, "stop it!" She shook her head, trying to dislodge its hand, and the creature gave an impatient hiss. Tightening its hold around her waist, the demon's hand dropped from her mouth. Diana heard fabric rustle, flinching as something thin and sharp dug into her neck. The demon grunted as it hauled her back, pulling the woman into the shadows of an alley way as she struggled.

     "Bru-mmh!" The thing clapped its hand over her mouth again, holding her tight. Her nails slid uselessly off its armor, her arms feeling heavier and heavier as her legs gave out. It held her upright as she sagged against its chest, her head lolling back to rest in the crook of its shoulder. She... she had to... to...

 


	9. Bruce - Space

     He stared at the broken window, his breath catching in his throat.

     "Diana!" Shazam caught him when he tried to enter the room, hauling him back out into the hallway as he struggled. "What're you doing!" he yelled at the man, pushing in vain against his hold. "We have to get Diana!"

     "The others will!" Shazam assured him, looping an arm around the thin man's waist. He hovered off the floor, Bruce's feet kicking at empty air as he flew them back through the branching hallways. Freeing an arm, he reached up and tapped his earpiece. "Cyborg? It's me, Batman got Diana, but I have Bruce. I'm heading for the teleporter, we need to get him out of here!" He came to a sudden, hard stop. " _What_? But how?" He paused, his breath hissing through his clenched teeth. "Hal? Are you sure that's a good ide- Fine, we're coming!" His hand dropped, rejoining the other as he held Bruce against his chest. "I'm really sorry about this," the man told him, "but Batman took out the teleporter, they're saying this is the only way."

     "The only way?" Bruce repeated, looked up at him as they sped through the hallways. "What're you talking about?"

     "Him," Shazam replied as they entered the reception area, the man floating to the floor as he let Bruce go. He looked in the direction Shazam was pointing, staring at the sight that greeted him. Hal, dressed completely in yellow, stood beside Superman.

     "Hal?" he asked, confused. "But Diana said-"

     "I'm not your Hal," the man replied, shaking his head.

     "Do we really want to do this?" Shazam asked them, "do we really, _really_ want to do this?" Bruce frowned, turning to look at the man.

     "Do what?"

     "This," Hal said, and Bruce stumbled as he rose through the air. Startled, he looked down, gaping at the yellow square beneath his feet. He crouched as it rose higher, the sides of the square rising around him.

     "What're you doing!?" the man yelled at them, pushing at the walls as the top snapped shut above him.

     "Saving you," Hal answered, soaring ahead as he towed the box skyward.

     "Superman, please," Bruce distantly heard Shazam speak. "Let me go with them, this is going to scare him!" He looked down, squinting out though the thick floor to watch as Superman looked up at him.

     "I need you to-" the Kryptonian's voice faded out, and Bruce stared down at the quickly shrinking Hall of Justice. What? What was happening? Why were they still going up? He looked up at Hal, cupping his hands around his mouth as he called up to the man.

     "Hal? Hal, what're we doing?"

     "Getting you to the Watch Tower the hard way," came the distant reply. That didn't make any sense!

     "Where's the Watch Tower?" Further up north? In a different city?

     "In space," the man yelled down, and Bruce blinked. In. In space. No, he must have misheard the man.

     "What did-!" he paused, staring up at the approaching clouds. The walls darkened for a moment, a strange mix of blue and yellow, before clearing once more. Bruce stared down the top of the massed clouds, feeling his heart lurch as they continued to rise. The ocean stretched out in the distance, and he could see the edges of Earth begin to curve. Oh. Oh God. "What're you doing!" he screamed up at Hal, slamming his fists against the walls of the construct. They didn't even shudder at his blows, and he couldn't stop himself from staring down at the shrinking planet. So far away, it was so far away!

     "Calm down," Hal yelled down to him. "I could power this ring for days off your fear!" The Earth. He could clearly see the curves of the planet now, its surface a mix of white and blue. "Batman-" he dimly heard the man sigh, "Bruce. Bruce, look at me." He didn't want the box to break now. He'd die if it did, a horrible death. "Bruce." The man stared out at the darkness of space, only vaguely aware of Hal descending to hover at his side. "Bruce," he said, his tone going soft, "I need you look at me." The stars were so bright, like little spots of white. Yellow entered his view, and Bruce blinked as Hal floated in front of him. "I've done this more times than I can count- you're going to be ok. Look," he pointed up, and Bruce looked up at the massive space station. "We're almost there. I'll get you inside, Cyborg will fix the teleporter, and you'll never have to do this again. How does that sound?" Bruce swallowed, licking his lips.

     "Good," he whispered, and Hal smiled, reaching up to press his earpiece.

     "Hal to Watch Tower, open the docking bay. I've got Bruce with me." He turned to the man, pointing back up towards the station. "Do you see the door opening?" Bruce squinted, watching as a latch twisted open, exposing a hole to space.

     "I.... I think so..."

     "I'm going to take you through that, ok? When we land, you'll be completely safe." They neared the gaping hole, Bruce shuddering as they entered it. Light flickered on above them, illuminating a plain room with metal flooring. "There," Hal told him, "we're in the Watch Tower." The yellow walls withdrew from around him, and Bruce finally stood on solid ground again. The floor rushed up to meet his face.


End file.
